The
Four Imams: Their lives, works and their Schools of ThoughtA book
by Muhammad Abu Zahra

This
book is a compilation of four books which deal with the lives and works
of the four imams who founded the four great canonical schools of thought
of Islamic fiqh. The book was originally written in Arabic by the great
Egyptian scholar and theologian Muhammad Abu Zahra and is presented in
English for the first time.

In this book,
there is a comprehensive, in depth analysis of the four Sunni madhabs and
their founders, giving details of their biography and the methods they
used in reaching their legal conclusions. This is particularly important
important in the world today when many thousands of Muslims find themselves
in a situation where there is not enough knowledge and therefore, no traditional
allegiance to a particular madhab. As a result of this ignorance, there
is also a great deal of futile disagreements amongst the Muslims. This
work therefore has been long overdue in the English language and will be
a milestone in bridging the gap amongst the Muslims and uniting them. It
makes a stimulating and enriching read for all who are interested in deepening
their knowledge of Islam.

Brief Biographies
of the Four Imams

Imam Malik
-
the first of the four great imams and founder of the Maliki school of thought.
He lived his whole life in Madina where much of the Quran was revealed
and most of the legal practices of Islam established. He spent his life
studying, recording and clarifying the legal parameters and precedents
which was passed down to him by the first two generations of Muslims who
were the direct inheritors of the perfected form of Islam left by the Prophet
(saw). This book not only gives the biographical details of the Imam's
life but also puts it in its historical context and most importantly, shows
us the methods he used in reaching his legal conclusions which played a
vital part in preserving exactly the legacy of the pure Divine Guidance
left by the Prophet and his Companions.

Imam Al
Shafi -
founder of the Shafi'i school of thought. He was remarkable in that he
resolved the differences of opinion that arose in the still evolving Muslim
community and brought them together in the most outstanding legal system
in the whole history of mankind. This book looks at his life and traces
the development of his thought. It talks of his teachers and his followers
and shows how the system he devised grew out of the intellectual and political
currents of his time. It also gives an in-depth historical analysis of
the various movements and sects which formed the background to the Islamic
world in which he lived.

Imam Abu
Hanifa
- died in 150 AH/767CE. He met the companions of the Prophet (saw) and
is counted amongst the Tabi'un (followers). He is renowned for his piercing
intellect as faqih, his scrupulousness, integrity of character and his
resoluteness in the face of oppression. His school is historically associated
with the rule in India and is the most widely followed school of thought.
This makes his study particularly important for the English speaking readers
since it gives them an in-depth appreciation of the school followed by
the majority of the Muslims in the world.

Imam Ahmad
Abn Hambal
- chronologically the last of the four imams and lived just after the first
three generations of exemplary Muslims, thus confronting a slightly different
situation from that faced by his three predecessors. This necessitated
a fresh approach to the legal issues arising out of the situation of the
rapidly expanding urban development and imperial government which had started
to engulf much of the Muslim community. The book shows how Imam Ahmad through
his incredible personal integrity and scrupulous adherence to sound tradition
was able to chart a course through a story period in which he lived. His
example provided his followers with the legal bases of what later became
the Hanbali madhab.